Army's Kaufmann enters QB conversation

WEST POINT — Like any good leader, Matt Kaufmann deflected praise after another breakout performance during Army spring football.

Sal Interdonato

WEST POINT — Like any good leader, Matt Kaufmann deflected praise after another breakout performance during Army spring football.

Kaufmann complimented his offensive line's blocking, his wide receivers' hands and his defense for putting the offense in great field position.

But, it was Kaufmann, who played flawlessly. The freshman, a member of Army's jayvee team and a scout-team quarterback last fall, completed 13-of-17 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown leading the Gold team to a 20-14 victory over Black in Army's spring game.

Pretty impressive, considering Kaufmann was a surprise starter. First-year coach Jeff Monken sat junior Angel Santiago, who made 11 starts in 2013, during the game due to disciplinary reasons.

"Coming into the spring, I just wanted to improve myself as a quarterback and see what I can do to help out the team," Kaufmann said. "I just wanted to help out the team and change this whole program."

Kaufmann has done more than help. He's proved that the Black Knights can be successful throwing the football in the triple-option offense. And, Kaufmann has proven he can move Army down the field. Rarely does Army take a step back with Kaufmann at the helm. He keeps Army in manageable down and distances. Kaufmann also makes plays. Under pressure Kaufmann lofted a pass, which Mike Parros came down with for a 36-yard touchdown. The score finished an 11-play, 72-yard opening drive.

"The kid is just an efficient player," Army junior fullback Larry Dixon said. "He played great, really consistent, didn't make mistakes. "» You are talking about another guy stepping up and he's doing the things that Coach Monken is teaching. He's tough. He's about the details."

Army gave Kaufmann his only chance to play quarterback at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. Kaufmann said Texas A&M offered him a chance to play cornerback as a preferred walk-on. Wofford, a Football Championship Subdivision team and Division II schools Abilene Christian, Henderson State and MacMurray offered Kaufmann a scholarship.

"He's a tough kid," Monken said. "He's a coach's kid. He takes a lot of pride in his assignments and making the reads right. "» I was impressed with him to come in and have to be the starting quarterback for that team when he probably didn't expect that. I thought he handled it well. I think we can get something out of him."

Kaufmann ran a spread offense with some wishbone plays for his father, Marcus, the offensive coordinator at McAllen High School in Texas.

Monken said sophomore A.J. Schurr, who ran Army's first team Saturday, and Santiago will likely compete for the starting quarterback job. Schurr completed 9-of-18 passes for 137 yards and rushed 12 times for 32 yards Saturday. Santiago remains second on the depth chart ahead of Kaufmann, Monken said.

"There was a deal earlier in the semester that we had talked to him (Santiago) about," Monken said. "There was some criteria that we set forth that he had to do to earn a spot in the spring game and he didn't get all of those things done so we sat him out today. Nothing major that we need to talk about."

Kaufmann has gone from not dressing for a game as a freshman to being in the quarterback conversation this spring with a new coaching staff. The coaches felt strong enough about Kaufmann to move sophomore Kelvin White, who played six games at quarterback last season, to wide receiver this spring.

"I'm still trying to figure out (that something)," said Kaufmann, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds. "I'm just doing my best to execute plays and execute what coach calls and do my best to give the team a victory."

Kaufmann signed autographs after the game. As he was leaving the field, Monken stopped his postgame interview and said, "Run off the field," to Kaufmann and another player.

A rare mistake by one of spring football's brightest stars.

sinterdonato@th-record.com

Twitter: @salinterdonato

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